This is the definitive list of baseball-football, two-sport athletes of the “modern” era. “Modern” is defined in the so called “division” era of pro sports (1970 – present, so no Jim Thorpe, Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Bob Hayes, etc.).

Criteria are as follows:
1) Playing a high level at both. Not included are going to be people who were good as prepsters but chose one sports over the other and never competed in college or beyond.

2) Accolades at the higher levels: Halls of Fame, All Stars, playing on title teams, big games, achievement over just playing

#2 – Deion SandersCollege: Florida StateHighest Football: NFL (CB/S/KR/PR, 14 seasons)Highest Baseball: MLB (OF, 9 seasons)All Star season (Pro): 8x Pro Bowl, 8x All Pro (both football)Honors: Pro Football Hall of Fame (2011), College Football Hall of Fame (2011), NFL All Decade team (1990’s), AP Defensive Player of the Year (1994), 2x NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1993, 1994), Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor, 1st Round NFL Draft Pick (5th overall, 1989), Consensus All American (college football 1986, 1987), Jim Thorpe Award (1988)Records: Pro Bowl Interceptions Career (4), Florida State career punt return yards, Longest Interception Return in a Bowl Game (100 yards)Championships: 2x Super Bowl Champ (XXIX, XXX), NL Champions (1992)Comments: In college, once played both games of a baseball doubleheader while running a leg of the 4×100 in between. Batted .533 in the World Series. By accomplishment, better than Bo, but nobody was better than Bo in terms of athleticism.

#3 – Brian JordanCollege: RichmondHighest Football: NFL (SS, 3 seasons)Highest Baseball: MLB (OF, 15 seasons)All Star season (Pro): All Star (1999, baseball)Honors: 1st round MLB Draft pick (1988), Top 10 MVP vote (baseball, 1996), appeared on 2012 MLB Hall of Fame Ballot (0 votes)Records: NoneChampionships: 1999 NL PennantComments: A solid player in both sports, with the All Star appearance in baseball, gave up football after two seasons as a full time starter to sign a more lucrative MLB contract than he would have received otherwise. Because his college was not nationally renown, lacks some of the honors we see in above and below players.

#4 – Todd HeltonCollege: TennesseeHighest Football: College (QB, 3 seasons)Highest Baseball: MLB (1B, 16 seasons, still active)All Star season (Pro): 5x All Star (2000 – 2004)Honors: Gatorade Player of the Year (high school) for football and baseball at Tennessee, Regional baseball player of the year (high school), Baseball America High School All American, Dick Howser trophy (college baseball), 2nd in MLB Rookie of the year (1998), 3 Gold Gloves, 4 Silver Sluggers, 3x Top 10 MVP vote, 2000 Hank Aaron Award, 2000 Batting/Hits/Doubles/Total Bases/RBI Champ, First round (8th overall) pick in MLB draft.Records: Rockies records for hits (2,407), home runs (354), doubles (566), walks (1,283), runs scored (1,355), RBIs (1,340), games played (2,105), and total bases (4,107), NCAA record for most consecutive scoreless innings pitched (47), Tennessee saves record (11).Championships: 2007 NL PennantComments: Was backup QB to (now congressman) Heath Shuler, was ahead of Peyton Manning on depth chart and started for 3 weeks until injured (Peyton took over for like 4 years). Also pitched in college (see records, posted 0.89 ERA during saves record).